Q. What is the difference between preventive care and diagnostic care?
A: Preventive care is all about keeping you as healthy as possible. The screening tests recommended for each person vary by age and gender. These services include mammograms, cholesterol screenings, colonoscopies, annual physicals, immunizations an women and children well visits. Diagnostic tests, meanwhile, are used to identify a disease or condition (i.e., a diagnosis) that is causing symptoms.
In some instances, a preventative visit may turn into a diagnostic visit, if a medical issue is discovered during the visit. In that case, the patient may have to pay a cost share.
Independent Health offers more than 60 preventative services with $0 cost share, including deductible plans, when performed by an in-network health care provider. Your employees may be asked to get certain screenings, and it can be confusing when the same type of procedure could be classified as preventive or diagnostic.
While many preventive screenings are covered at $0, some diagnostic screenings could require a copay or coinsurance. I encourage you to share this
flyer with your employees as a way to help them understand the difference between preventive care and diagnostic care.
